Prison for drunken peer who set fire to hotel curtain

The Labour peer Mike Watson woke up this morning in a prison cell after he was sentenced yesterday to 16 months for drunkenly setting fire to a curtain in an Edinburgh hotel and endangering guests and staff. Lord Watson of Invergowrie, who admitted a charge of wilful fire-raising at an earlier hearing, had drunk substantial amounts of alcohol at a ceremony and party and then demanded more drink from hotel staff when the bar closed.

Sentencing Watson at Edinburgh sheriff court yesterday, Sheriff Kathrine Mackie told him: "I have to say that someone in public office ought to know how to conduct himself on all occasions." Background reports had concluded there was a significant risk of his reoffending.

The peer's actions followed the Scottish Politician of the Year awards in November. Sheriff Mackie said Watson's alcohol consumption had not been enough to explain his behaviour. A custodial sentence was required. "The potential for serious injury to guests and staff within the hotel and for very significant damage to the property was considerable," she added.

Following the sentence, the Scottish Labour party said that the peer and former MP had been expelled from the party. Watson had already resigned his seat in the Scottish parliament, forcing a byelection next week, but he will be allowed to retain his position in the House of Lords. He has also resigned as a director of Dundee United FC.

The peer was caught on CCTV at 2.15am on November 12 crouching at the base of a curtain in the hotel's main reception and taking matches from his sporran. The curtain burst into flames a few seconds later as Watson walked away. At the earlier hearing, an expert told the court the fire had put the hotel's 420 guests in a "potentially dangerous situation" and that only the quick actions of staff had prevented harm.

Paul Burns, Watson's lawyer, said that the peer had a problem with alcohol and that he would not have started the fire had it not been for the drink. "This was an offence which was done without premeditation, motive, reason and indeed without recollection." Watson had been in despair after the joy of his wife's successful IVF treatment turned to disappointment and ended in the loss of the child some months later. "Although he is a robust and strong person he is a human being and I suspect that took him to a lonely and dark place," Mr Burns said.

Speaking outside the court, Watson's spokesman said: "He just wants to say that his wife, Clare, has stood by him like a rock during a phenomenally difficult time and she continues to stand by him."

The sentence was met with cheers at the Scottish National party conference in Aviemore. The Scottish Conservatives, however, complained that he would serve only eight months of the 16 months handed down.